American Truck Simulator Starts Hauling In February

It's almost here, the day the games press have dreamed of for years: the release of American Truck Simulator [official site]. I try to steer clear of press events and the games press in general but, every time I encounter those ruffians, I notice they're even cosplaying the drive 'em up in their everyday lives. Blue jeans, t-shirt, a checked shirt over the top, ratty sneakers... they've been dreaming of trucking up and down California for years. Be cool, games press. Stay calm. Don't get over-excited and hurt yourself. Just... reach into your drawer, slowly withdraw a pen, and draw a checked circle around February 3rd, 2016.

I say that as if I'm immune to the charms of American Truck Simulator, that I don't want to hop in my rig and go pootling through the redwoods, but that's not true at all: I'm simply better-dressed. I'm awfully excited to poke around NorCal, the land of big trees and wild rivers and fog-cloaked mountains and oh jeez, heading up through earlier this year was the most wonderful drive of my life.

Why am I going on about California and not other fine states like Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Colorado, and Alaska? Well, if you missed the memo, the initial release will focus on Californ-i-ay (as locals call it). But hey, that includes desert, mountains, forest, farmland, and sprawling cities, so it should simulate a fair spread of places.

Here's an American Truck Simulator dream for developers SCS Software to correctly dismiss as ridiculous and impractical: go absolutely wild with DLC, bringing in all sorts of studios to create strange additions. DLC adding a murder mystery told across diners up and down route 101. DLC hitch-hiking, where you try to cross the state entertaining truckers with tales and chat (or cash, grass, or ass). DLC driving a tour bus along scenic routes. Adam's taxi dream. DLC letting me swim in the rivers and ocean gosh.